MTB: Epic-ish Nass Ride - 9/28

[rueler]

Yeah rueler. Get up at the butt crack of dawn on a rainy Sunday morning and ride with a bunch of hacks. Sounds like a hoot.

:lol:

You may have less riding experience than I, but you are clearly not hacks!! By the amount of time I see that Alpine Zone stickered jeep at Nass., I would say that you're going to catch up on the experience part pretty quickly.

Sunday ride?? I don't mind riding in the rain at all...I'm just going to wait to see how much rain we get Friday/Saturday first and if it's going to rain some more on Sunday. I may bail! The last third of the Scoville twisties and some lower sections by the bear swamp will be underwater or ultra juicy! Other than that, most routes have held up all right in the rain.

I don't know your route, so I wouldn't know what you intend to ride. Even after all the rain, there will be some trails that will drain incredibly well and shouldn't put too much of a damper on your ride. I'll post up as to my plan to meet you guys before Sunday.

 

[bvibert]

You may have less riding experience than I, but you are clearly not hacks!! By the amount of time I see that Alpine Zone stickered jeep at Nass., I would say that you're going to catch up on the experience part pretty quickly.

Sunday ride?? I don't mind riding in the rain at all...I'm just going to wait to see how much rain we get Friday/Saturday first and if it's going to rain some more on Sunday. I may bail! The last third of the Scoville twisties and some lower sections by the bear swamp will be underwater or ultra juicy! Other than that, most routes have held up all right in the rain.

I don't know your route, so I wouldn't know what you intend to ride. Even after all the rain, there will be some trails that will drain incredibly well and shouldn't put too much of a damper on your ride. I'll post up as to my plan to meet you guys before Sunday.

Our plan, right now, is to start at Lamson and head into the cemetery twisties, then head up the climb that sort of parallels Cornwall. At the top of the climb we'll take a right and head over to the Stone road side of things. We'll do pretty much everything that we know over there (including all the newly raked stuff), then head back to the top of the climb, possibly hitting the Kitchen on the way by. Once back at the top of the climb we'll continue on that standard loop, which consists of going down, crossing Cornwall, going down some more, crossing 69, then heading back on the fun stretch that parallels 69 back to Lamson.

Most of that route seems to dry fairly well after a rain, except for sections of the trail that parallels 69, and sometimes parts of the top of the ridge.

 

[Greg]

Sunday ride?? I don't mind riding in the rain at all...I'm just going to wait to see how much rain we get Friday/Saturday first and if it's going to rain some more on Sunday. I may bail! The last third of the Scoville twisties and some lower sections by the bear swamp will be underwater or ultra juicy! Other than that, most routes have held up all right in the rain.

We're skipping Session Woods too. The plan is cemetery twisties --> take the climb --> head East at the big rock towards Stone --> ride the new stuff there and head back. Maybe hit the Kitchen depending on time/pace or just backtrack to the Lamson Loop. Continue North and cross Cornwall and then 69 (maybe if you're there you can show us Ticker's Notch or whatever that's called). Head south parallel to 69 back to the cars. 13-ish miles.

 

[bvibert]

We're skipping Session Woods too. The plan is cemetery twisties --> take the climb --> head East at the big rock towards Stone --> ride the new stuff there and head back. Maybe hit the Kitchen depending on time/pace or just backtrack to the Lamson Loop. Continue North and cross Cornwall and then 69 (maybe if you're there you can show us Ticker's Notch or whatever that's called). Head south parallel to 69 back to the cars. 13-ish miles.

Beat ya!


:lol:

 

[MR. evil]

I may or may not be in for this ride. Depends on the weather and and if I can get some issues with my bike worked out. The rear der. is ghost shifting like crazy and the front der is way out of wack. I think I may have bent the front der. cage last weekend at Case.

 

[bvibert]

Front der is optional, get it so that it stays in the middle ring and you're golden. The rear shouldn't be too hard to figure out, maybe you bent the hanger?

 

[MR. evil]

Front der is optional, get it so that it stays in the middle ring and you're golden. The rear shouldn't be too hard to figure out, maybe you bent the hanger?

The front should be easy. I think I bent the cage which is cuase the cage to rub the chain in every gear combo. The rear will be tricky. I cheacked it out quickly last night after a play session on the stunts in the back yard. The hanger looks fine and the shifting is ok. The problem appears to be with the upper cog on the der. cage. I wonder if I also bent that cage? Lord knows my bike hit the ground enough last weekend.

I made some serious progress on my wheely drops last night with Jamie's (crazy trails guy) advice. By the end of my session I was able to ride onto a 5 foot long platform I constructed about 12" off the ground. track stand for a few second with my front tire right on the edge, and then do a wheely drop starting from a track stand.

 

[bvibert]

Sounds like good progress, great work!

 

[Greg]

I made some serious progress on my wheely drops last night with Jamie's (crazy trails guy) advice. By the end of my session I was able to ride onto a 5 foot long platform I constructed about 12" off the ground. track stand for a few second with my front tire right on the edge, and then do a wheely drop starting from a track stand.

Hows about sharing your tips? :idea:

 

[MR. evil]

Hows about sharing your tips? :idea:

Jamie (super trails guy) was explaining to us that everyone has one leg that is their power side. Usually this is the side that most people start off with or have forward when riding in a neutral position. As an example I always start with my right foot, and when I approach obstacles I typically have my right foot forward. I have always done this so I can get some power into that initial approach.

He explained to me that this is the exact opposite of what you want to do for a wheely drop and wheely up. You should start your wheely with your weak side so you can then follow through with your power side. Before on my wheely drops when I started with my power side I could get the initial wheely, but then I stalled on the following pedal stroke with my weak side causing me to drop the front end of the bike.

Same goes for the wheely up. You want to pop the wheely using your weak side, so that once your front tire makes contact with the obstical, say a large rock face, you can start to climb it with your power side. If you pop the wheely with you strong side, and then begin the climb with your weak side you will typically stall on a steep face.

 

[Greg]

Jamie (super trails guy) was explaining to us that everyone has one leg that is their power side. Usually this is the side that most people start off with or have forward when riding in a neutral position. As an example I always start with my right foot, and when I approach obstacles I typically have my right foot forward. I have always done this so I can get some power into that initial approach.

He explained to me that this is the exact opposite of what you want to do for a wheely drop and wheely up. You should start your wheely with your weak side so you can then follow through with your power side. Before on my wheely drops when I started with my power side I could get the initial wheely, but then I stalled on the following pedal stroke with my weak side causing me to drop the front end of the bike.

Same goes for the wheely up. You want to pop the wheely using your weak side, so that once your front tire makes contact with the obstical, say a large rock face, you can start to climb it with your power side. If you pop the wheely with you strong side, and then begin the climb with your weak side you will typically stall on a steep face.

Very interesting. And it makes a ton of sense. Usually, I find myself backpedaling to "reload" on the stronger side. For example, when approaching a log or some other obstacle, I'll initiate with the left side (my power side) up. I'll then quickly kick back down on the right pedal to put the left side back up. After reading you suggestion above, it's clear that's probably totally inefficient, but it's been working okay so far. For wheelie drops, I still start with the power side, but usually can follow through. Perhaps I use the stronger side to pull up as an assist. Obviously not something you can do on platforms.

I'll have to try this advice. This trick is definitely going to be to retrain my brain to start with the weaker side. That's going to be a tough habit to break I think. Thanks for the tip!

 

[MR. evil]

. This trick is definitely going to be to retrain my brain to start with the weaker side. That's going to be a tough habit to break I think. Thanks for the tip!

That is the hard part. I was not able to wrap my brain around this tip last weekend when he was explaining it to me. I knew what he was saying but I just couldn't get my body to do it. I really had to work on it last night for almost an housr before it started to feel natural.

 

[rueler]

that's great advice by starting with the weak side so your power side is pulling you through the tougher part of the move, whatever it may be...This year, I've been doing the opposite of that to try to strengthen my weak side and balance my power out.

You never know when you're going to be in a situation where you need to rely on that weak side. If it's stronger, due to regular use, you'll only be better off.

 

[MR. evil]

that's great advice by starting with the weak side so your power side is pulling you through the tougher part of the move, whatever it may be...This year, I've been doing the opposite of that to try to strengthen my weak side and balance my power out.

You never know when you're going to be in a situation where you need to rely on that weak side. If it's stronger, due to regular use, you'll only be better off.

Very good point.

 

[Greg]

I'm in rain or not.

 

[bvibert]

I'm in rain or not.

Aye

Roll call, 7:00am at Lamson's, ~10-15 mile ride, fastish pace.

bvibert
Greg
o3jeff (maybe)
Mr.Evil (maybe)

 

[gorgonzola]

someone in the northern tier needs to post a kingdom trails ride so i have a reason to pull the camper one more time....

 

[Greg]

Hoping to pick up some new meats before tomorrow's ride. Anyone know where I can find some Kenda Nevagal Stick-Es in a 2.35? Biker's Edge just sold their last two, plus they want 50 bucks for them which seems high. Gonna call Ski Market in Avon and Class Cycles in Southbury.

 

[rueler]

You might want to give a call over to Benidorm or Central Wheel. They shouldn't be too far away from you either. Yeah...buying tires from Bob down at Biker's Edge is something you do if you have to...I get great service there, but you're going to pay a bit more for the convenience of walking in there to get what you want right at that moment. you'll find better deals on-line.

The other wild card option is...CT bicycle exchange in Bristol. I have bought Kendas there in the past...two tires out the door for $28. They were only 2.1s though. They mostly deal with bmx tires, but they usually have a decent stock of mtb tires...but, it's very hit or miss there. One day you'll hit the jackpot, the next you won't find anything.

 

[Greg]

Thanks rueler. Central has the Geax Blade in a 2.25. $45 though. Any thoughts on that tire? The other shops don't open until 10 am.